Imagine stopping just in time to avoid being hit by a car. After almost being hit, we act more carefully in the future. The brain must have neurons to detect these situations and adjust action policy. fMRI studies show that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) detects these situations by monitoring for the simultaneous activation of opposing actions (like stopping yourself from walking in front of a car). While it is known that the ACC becomes active in these situations, the calculation performed by ACC neurons to quantify conflict is unknown. Here, we record spiking of single ACC neurons and motor cortex neurons and use mathematical modeling to uncover the computation or “neuronal algorithm” underlying our ability to detect and adjust our behavior.

2025

2029